


The Night Before

by piggypeach_xx



Series: World of Warcraft RP Scenes/One-Shots [6]
Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: One-Shot, Roleplay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 13:48:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20779604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piggypeach_xx/pseuds/piggypeach_xx
Summary: One sleepless night, Talondressa finds herself in a rare situation--in the presence of her master, Illidan Stormrage, alone. She takes this opportunity to say something she'd never had the chance to say before.





	The Night Before

**Author's Note:**

> {This scene takes place the night before the canonical raid on the Black Temple in Burning Crusade.}

It was late at night, when the world was still and slow. The midnight sky was dark and vast; little specks of innocent light dotting its black expanse. One bright light hung above, pouring its silvery rays onto the land below. Many believed that light was sacred and pure. They worshipped it and called upon its power to augment their own. Talondressa used to be one of them. 

Now, however, she stood on the balcony staring out at this sky, her arms folded and leaned against the metal railing. The only thing keeping her from jumping to her death. What would be the use, anyways? She would just come back afterwards. So there she stayed; several hundred, maybe even a thousand feet above ground, taking in what she could of the ebon night. If she focused, she could make out the faint energy of the stars. But the moon...there was no denying its power. Gentle and frigid, yes; but also strong. Thriving. Pulsing. It reminded her of the Moon Goddess she once served, though it still paled in comparison to the breathtakingly luminous being known as Elune. Even the man she now served could not measure up to her--Talon knew that well. 

Regardless, she would always be indebted to Illidan. Nothing she could ever do would be enough to fully remunerate him. Many called him The Betrayer. A heretic. A criminal. He committed many crimes against the Night Elves, yes. But Talondressa, the others--they knew the truth. They knew the reasons behind their master’s seemingly ill-meant behavior. He was the _ only one _ out of them all who would even take action. Nothing would have changed; hell, most of the elves would not be alive now if it weren’t for him. His followers knew that. That’s why they served him. Because they knew they could unquestionably rely on him to follow through, unlike anyone else. He alone could and would change things. Born with amber eyes, Illidan Stormrage had always been destined for greatness. And here he was even now, after everything, still doing his damnedest to make things right. Talondressa admired him so for this. 

But it was more than that to her. Not only did he save the Night Elf race as a whole; she felt he had also saved _ her, _ personally. He’d dragged her out of the hopeless and desolate abyss she’d found herself in--that everyone found themselves in. He told her, and many others, to get up and brush herself off, and learn to fight for what needed to be fought for: Azeroth’s safety, and that of its inhabitants, great and small. Even after being labelled a criminal and a betrayer, and called a monster by the woman he loved after being rejected by her as well, his grand plan at the end of the day had never changed. Protect Azeroth, no matter the cost. After Talondressa lost her entire family and everyone she held dear, she felt as though her entire purpose for being alive had slipped away, too. But Illidan gave her a new purpose. And she became one of his Illidari.

With all this in mind, Talondressa had begun to wander the castle in silence. By now, she had ventured from her chambers and up the many tall, wide staircases of the Black Temple. Up she climbed, lost in her thoughts and worries. Visions of the past filtered through them, and she sent them away without a care. Those were old and irrelevant now. She held her head high and reminded herself of her ultimate goals: protecting her home, and obeying her master. It was all that mattered now. 

Eventually she found herself at the very top of the citadel, the sky open and endless above her. The many torches were lit and blazing brightly, guiding her way across the large roof before her. She wondered why she had ended up there, but didn’t think much of it. That is, until she was suddenly overwhelmed by the presence of another. She stopped dead in her tracks, eyeing the dark, shadowed blob a few hundred feet away from where she stood. The silhouette was difficult to make out, but after focusing her gaze a bit harder, she was able to recognize the energy signature. The swirling emerald power radiating off of the figure was so great and terrifying, it sent a shiver through her. It was her master. The demon within her quietly chuckled to itself. 

_ Still afraid of him, are we? _ it taunted her. She ignored it. Squaring her shoulders, she took step after step towards him in a cautious but precise manner. If he were to send her away, she would not argue. But perhaps...perhaps he wouldn’t mind some company? Never had he laid a hand against one of his Illidari, despite being rather rough with the demons and the Broken Draenei. He was strong and very powerful, and was definitely not a pushover. But he never used force unnecessarily. So, though her demon was technically correct in its musing, she wasn’t _ truly _ afraid of him. Just...extremely intimidated. 

“Did you want something?” came Illidan’s sudden inquiry.

Talondressa stiffened with a small gasp. She immediately dropped to her knees, unable to remain standing in his presence. “S-sir,” she stammered, “I was just wandering the halls unable to sleep, and I happened upon you by accident. If you would like me to leave, I will not hesitate to do so.” She squeezed her eyes shut, grimacing as she waited for him to send her away.

Alright, so she _ was _ afraid of him. 

The Illidari Master was silent for a moment, and Talondressa was unable to see his reaction, for her head was bowed.

"...what gave you the impression that I would ask you to leave?” he then asked, in an almost confused tone.

Talondressa slowly looked up at him, shock evident on her face. “I-I was afraid I might have disturbed you.”

“Then why did you approach me in the first place?” questioned her master, smirking. 

The younger Illidari’s mouth opened and snapped shut again like a hungry fish. He definitely had a point. Her cheeks began to heat up and she hung her head in shame. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, embarrassed.

A single, soft chuckle left him. Though it sounded more like a scoff, it was truly the closest thing to a laugh that she had ever heard come out of his mouth. Her eyes widened. 

“Well, I won’t send you away, for now. Getting lost in my thoughts isn’t exactly something I enjoy. It’ll be nice to have a distraction, even if only for a moment.” The shifting of fabrics and the _ plop _ of a massive body setting itself upon the cold stone was heard. Illidan had sat down. Talondressa gazed at him again in confusion and gratitude as he patted the spot beside him once. With that, he turned his gaze to the sky and said nothing more. 

Elated, the younger Illidari shuffled her way over to him, resting her own body upon the spot which he had indicated. It was so strange to be sitting beside him, as if they were equals. Her heart swelled and roared in excitement and uncontained emotions as so many things to say came to mind. She’d always had so much to tell him, to thank him for. There just weren’t enough words in the world. 

None of this was spoken aloud, however, for she did not know if Illidan would want to hear them...or if he would even accept them. She kept it to herself once more, nearly exploding from the catastrophic amount of sentiments that were forced to remain within her. 

Digging her nails into her palms, she tried and miserably failed to keep the tears in. Ah, yes. The tears. Sure, she had become one of the fiercest demon hunters around, and had lost or at the very least dulled most of her sensitivity to death and murder and the like--but that did not mean she didn’t cry over everything from seeing a cute rabbit in the forest to sitting beside the person she adored and respected most in the entire world. Blood trickled down her wrists; she had forgotten that her nails were now claws. Hundreds of years she’d spent harboring a large portion of a demon soul within her, and still she continued to forget that she also took on some of its physical features. She quickly hid her palms from view and took a breath, calming her tears as quietly as physically possible. 

“Sometimes I envy those who can still express their emotions in such a manner,” Illidan mumbled suddenly, causing Talondressa to jump.

“Wh-what do you mean?” she asked him, bewildered, hastily rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands to erase any evidence of tears. She was sure there was no way he had actually seen her.

Her master turned his head and gazed down at her. “You. You’re crying.” He nodded once at her. 

She simply stared at him in shock. 

A sad smile played on his lips. It was so faint, it was barely even there. He let out a sigh and shook his head. 

Talondressa could tell he was troubled. She wondered if he would tell her or not. He seemed to be attempting to formulate words in his head, but nothing else came from him. He was silent. Eventually, he looked back up at the stars again, wordless. 

Talondressa’s shoulders drooped. But it was at that moment when she caught sight of what was in his hand. It was a skull. Focusing harder, she was able to deduce that it was an Orc skull, or at least looked it. The Master looked down at it then, another sigh leaving him. His shoulders sank, too. Talondressa was extremely curious now. She decided to say something else, hoping it would eventually lead him to explaining what he’d meant by his previous statement.

“I was crying because...well, I’m grateful to you,” she said simply. “You’re my master and yet...here I am, sitting beside you.” 

Illidan grunted. “Indeed, I am your master, but that does not mean you are not allowed to occupy the same space as I.” He glanced at her apathetically.

Talondressa felt herself smile at that. “Well, I’m grateful. I--we owe you so much, Lord Illidan. Our lives.”

Another grunt. He shook his head. “I’m just trying to make a real change in a world full of people too self-absorbed to do the same. You, and the rest of my Illidari, are the special few who followed me on this path because you share my ideals.” 

Talondressa nodded. He was just being modest, but none of it was untrue.

Illidan inhaled a small breath, taking a long moment to collect his thoughts. Finally, he spoke. “I’m...grateful to you, too. To all of you. Without you, I….” he trailed off, his eyes finding those stars again. Nothing more was said on the matter.

Still, just hearing those words from Illidan was enough to send her over the edge again, tears flowing endlessly from her fel-burned eyes. Her shoulders shook gently from the strain of trying to keep silent. She was embarrassed at herself for crying in front of him not once, but _ twice. _ She hoped at least this time he wouldn’t--

“You’re crying again,” Illidan noted, a hint of amusement coloring his voice. He hadn’t even moved. 

“Gah,” Talondressa choked, a small sob leaving her. “I’m sorry.” Her words were barely audible.

Illidan heard them. He shook his head and stared at the faint power radiating off of the distant stars. “You’d better not cry like that tomorrow when you launch your assault on Marduum. Am I understood?”

“Y-yes sir,” Talondressa managed to say between sobs. She was hugging her knees now. 

Illidan would offer her no comfort save for his presence, and a gentle smile that she would never see. “Good.”


End file.
